The Smiths' final album was recorded by a band that already broke up
In short: Strangeways, Here We Come was released months after the Smiths had officially split. Despite the internal collapse, the recording sessions were surprisingly cohesive, resulting in what the band members collectively consider their finest work—a lush, experimental departure from their signature indie sound.
The recording of Strangeways, Here We Come in March 1987 was fueled by a desire to escape the 'jingly-jangly' label that had defined the band's early career. Guitarist Johnny Marr entered the Wool Hall studios in Bath with a deliberate plan to move away from familiar formulas, seeking out new textures like synthesised saxophones, string arrangements, and drum machines. He drew inspiration from the Beatles' 1968 self-titled album and early records by the Walker Brothers, aiming for a more sophisticated, experimental sonic palette.
The atmosphere during these sessions was notably stable, even as the band faced significant external pressure from their label, Rough Trade Records. While the band was navigating a legal and financial dispute that had delayed their previous work, the studio environment was characterized by a 'new confidence' and a relaxed vibe. Musicians spent late nights covering Spinal Tap songs and drinking wine, while Morrissey often retired early to read Sylvia Plath. However, the stability was short-lived; Marr left the group shortly after the sessions concluded, effectively ending the band before the album reached the public.
The resulting record is a complex study in transition. It features Morrissey's first piano performance and explores themes of fatalism, melancholy, and even 'deliberate self-parody.' While critics have debated whether it surpasses their previous masterpiece, The Queen Is Dead, the band members themselves—including Morrissey, Marr, and drummer Mike Joyce—unanimously rank it as their best work. It remains a definitive 'swansong' that captures a group desperately trying to evolve just as their time together was running out.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Strangeways, Here We Come
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